So just carpet and paint doesn't usually cut it.And about price dropping for properties needing work - as long as you've got "subject to inspection" in black and white, you can make your original offer for full price to get their attention and then use every little blip on the inspection to drop your offer by thousands and thousands.

If you are interested, my podcast is #9.And of course I recommend my own group, Black Diamond first.  :-)  In addition to that, I recommend a couple others:  @Justin Silverio's group and New England REIA. 

Find them through Google and meetup.com Check out the Black Diamond events your way. 

When you decide not to let the pretty girl in one of your properties to paint their room black, say "I've decided not to allow that."

If they want more black and white than that, it'd have to be from the man upstairs!

It's like peeing yourself wearing black pants. 

Its not so black and white.

Not to say you don't sometimes need some black and white facts, but you'll do much better in your pitch if you know your subject and can relate your position on a personal basis.

Lots of people there are the old Black Middle Class (think shop owners, or Union guys) that bought those homes during White Flight and have refused to leave the City or let people turn their neighborhood homes into halfway houses, adult foster care,etc. 

None of us local guys are going to open up our black books and give you all the info we had to work hard for.